Automatic stop-motion mechanism for knitting machines



I I i6 Dec. 7 1926. 1,610,018

M. D. LINNICK AUTOMATIC STOP MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 27. 1926 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 t CL arc/1 z 1 z zyozusfifiazzzzcls INVEN OR WITNESS ATTOR EY Dec. 7 1926. 1,610,018

M. D. LINNICK AUTOMATIC STOP MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 27. 1926 2 Sheet'-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED TPSTATFES Moan-rs n. mnnroiz, or BROOKLYN, ionic -AUTQMATICSTOF MOTION MECHAI\FISM FOR KNITTI1\TG MACHINES.

Application filed February 27, 1926. -Seria1'No.'-91,187.'

This invention relates to improvements in automatic stop motion mechanism for knitting machines.

The primary object of the invention resides in a means for automatically stopping a knitting machine when a defect ap pears in the knitting of the material so that the machine will be instantly stopped to enable an operator to correct the defect. Heretofore, it has been the practice of employing an operator to watch the machine in order to be present to stop the machine as defects occur.

Another object of the invention resides in an attachment which may be applied to knitting machines now in use, without altering the present. construction of the same.

A further object is to provide an automatic stop attachment for knitting machines which is simple .in construction easy to install and eiiici'ent anddurable for the purpose intended. I

WVith these and other objects in view the invention resides incertain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an eievat-ional View of my improvedattachment in an applied posi tion upon a portion :of a knitting machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure Sis a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the position of the parts when in a shut-off position.

Figure 4; is a perspective view of the actuating member.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of.

the bell crank lever.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevational view of a modified form of my invention.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuit used in connection with the form of my invention shown in Figure 6.

Like characters of reference referto like parts throughout the several figuresqof the drawing.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the referencefnumeral 10 designates the frame of a knitting machine, and 11 the control box containing the conventional forin of gear 11, which when rotated,

itself to -provide a hook portion 16, which is clamped between the jaws 14 by means of' a clamping screw 17. The screw 17 passes freely through one of the jaws 1 1 but is threadedly connected with the other jaw so that by screwing the same home, the jaws will be drawn together. One of the inner faces of the jaws 14 is provided with a groove 18 for receiving the bill of the hook portion to prevent vertical movement of the same. The member 15 extends forward from the bracket 12 and isbentfdownward at an angle as at19j, thence forward and downwardly as s'hown'in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, and thence upwardly at right angle as at 20. The free end of the member is bent'in'to a hook or eye 21 for apurpose to be presently explained. v

An arm 22 extends from the frame 10 and to which a bell crank lever '23 is pivotally connected as at 24. The bell crank lever comprises a relatively short. branch 25, to which one end of arack bar 26 is pivotally connected, and which rack extendsinto the box 11 for meshing engagement with the gear 11' and which operates the control mechanism of the machine. The other branch 27 is longer than the branch 25 and has its end bentangularly to'provide an ear 28 through which the threaded shank 290i a screw eye 30 extends. The eye is held in an adjusted position by lock nuts 31 coacting with the threads on the shank and which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the ear.

A flexible member 82 in the nature of a chain has its ends respectively connected to the screw eye 30 and hook or eye 21'so as to transmit a pull from the actuating member 15 to the bell crank lever 23;

In operation, the knitted fabric 33 in its passage horizontally through the machine serves to hold the actuating member 15 in an upward position under tension, as the all) portion 19 of the member compresses against the knitted fabric as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The actuating member being firmly held by the jaws swings on a center at its point of connection with the jaws and is flexed, causing the angularly bent portion 20 to be raised at which time the rack bar 26 is in its retracted position, the same having rotated the gear to throw in the operating clutch. The machine is presumed to be in operation with the knitted fabric being fed beneath the trigger or actuaing member 15. So long as the yarn passes from the spool or cone through the usual guide, to the knit-- ting needles, the parts remain in this position, but should the yarn break due to the clogging of the thread guide or by an excess tension on the yarn, the fabric will automatically drop, as it will be appreciated that the knitted fabric is supported in the machine by the yarn. its the fabric drops the actuating member which has previously been held under tension, is released and returns to its normal position as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. Also, should a defect occur in the fabric, an opening will appear therein, through rwhich the actuating member will pass to cause the operati'on oi"- the device. ment oi the member imparts a pull to the flexible member 32 which rocks the lever causing the rack bar 26 to move to an extended position, which rack bar imparts rotation to the operating gear 11 for disengaging the control clutch, which automatically stops the machine, at which time an operator will understand that a defect is present in the knitted material which must be corrected. I

The above form of my invention is adapted for use on mechanically controlled knitting machines, but the same automatic stop mechanism may be used in connection with electrically controlled knitting machines, such as shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings. In this form of the invention, a switch 34 is mounted upon the frame 10 of the machine, and comprises a casing 35. between the walls of which a lever 36 is pivoted as at 37. A contractile spring 38 has one end connected to the inner end of the lever and its other end to the casing 35, so as to normally tend to swing the outer end of the latter upwardly and the inner end downwardly out of engagement with a spring contact 39 supported by the casing The outer end of the lever 36 is connected to one end of a link 40. while the other end of the link is connected to the eye 21 ot the actuating member 15, which memher is identical in construction to that shown in the preferred form. A stop member 41 The downward moveextends from the casing and serves to limit the movement of the lever 36 against the action of the spring 38. V

In the operation of this form, it will be seen that the knitted material 33 holds the trigger or actuating member 15 under tension, at which time the spring 38 is holding the lever 36 out of engagement with the contact 39 so that the electric circuit 42 is open, at which time the solenoid of the magnetic clutch is de-energized to permit the clutch 44 to be engaged to drive the machine. Should a defect appear in the material which releases the actuating member 15, the same will exert a pull upon the link 40, which rocks the lever 36 against the action of the spring 38 and into engagement with the contact 39 thus closing the circuit 42 which includes the'battery 43 and the electro-magnetic clutch 44, thus energizing the solenoid and disengaging the clutch, which clutch when engaged imparts motion to the knitting machine from the usual driving mechanism.

While I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth nor to anything less than the whole of my invention limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is 1. In combination with the gear of the control clutch of a knitting machine, a rack bar in meshing engagement therewith, a resilient member held under tension by the knitted material in its passage through the machine, and operating means for actuating said rack bar to move said gear to disengage the control clutch when the tension on said flexible member is released, said means including a bell crank lever having one or. its ends pivotally connected with said rack bar, and an element connecting the other end of said bell crank lever with the free end'o'f said resilient member. I

An automatic stop mechanism for knitting machines including a flexible member adapted tobe placed under tension by engagement with the knitted material passing through the machine. and attaching means for mounting said member on the frame of a machine, said attaching means in luding a bracket having spaced compressible jaws for receiving one end of said member, and

a clamping screw for holding said jaws in a clamping position with said member.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

Momns D. LINNICK. 

